However, Min Feng’s face darkened when he thought about the news that spread throughout the Hanlin Academy yesterday. The Emperor seed to value Gu Chengyu highly, having summoned him alone just yesterday.
Although it was only to compose two poems, Min Feng felt a deep sense of crisis. If the Emperor often asked Gu Chengyu to compose poetry, wouldn’t Gu Chengyu get many more opportunities? Min Feng hadn’t even seen the Emperor once since the Imperial Examination ceremony.
Min Feng felt sowhat anxious, but rembering what his teacher had told him, he cald down again. The matter he had just discussed at Qiu Yixue’s place was related to this.
The teacher submitted a letter to the Ministry of Personnel. Qiu Yixue was very likely to be promoted to the position of Assistant Reader at the Hanlin Academy, which would leave the Assistant Reader’s position vacant. The teacher had already recomnded him to the Ministry of Personnel.
However, he is currently only a seventh-rank official, and if he wants to be promoted to a standard sixth-rank position, he must show so political achievents.
And he already had a plan. In a few days, the Hanlin Academy was to begin compiling the "Dayan Code." Qiu Yixue had already appointed him as one of the contributors. As long as he made so achievents to silence public opinion, it would be enough.
Therefore, after returning for a few days, he pondered over the matter of the Code, knowing that to gain public acceptance, he would have to demonstrate so real talent.
Even if the Emperor appointed Gu Chengyu to participate in the compilation of the Code, he wouldn’t be afraid. Once he ca up with a good plan and was promoted to Assistant Reader at the Hanlin Academy, he wouldn’t have to bow to Gu Chengyu anymore. Thinking of this, he felt sowhat delighted.
At this mont, he was very grateful to have beco a closed-door disciple of Xia Qing; otherwise, who knew when he would rise on his own?
To gain public acceptance, he had to start from the Code. However, searching for related books for the Code, he’d been burning the midnight oil, reading books for days to find a way.
While Min Feng was feeling pleased with himself, Zhang Hai had already taken the preface written by Gu Chengyu and first went to find the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Rites, Yu Zheng.
"Lord Yu, this is the draft regulation for compiling the Code, just drawn up by the Hanlin Academy. Please have a look."
Zhang Hai didn’t ntion that it was Gu Chengyu’s draft, only referencing the Hanlin Academy. Once the Six Ministries unanimously agreed, it would be more secure to present it then.
"Oh? Mr. Zhang has drafted the regulation so quickly? I was thinking of discussing it with other Chief Officers before getting started, since I know very little about the other governnt offices’ situations. I didn’t expect Mr. Zhang to have already settled it?"
Yu Zheng was sowhat surprised. Since when did the Hanlin Academy handle matters so swiftly? Moreover, this should have been drafted by the Six Ministries first before being compiled by the Hanlin Academy. Yu Zheng was puzzled by Mr. Zhang’s eagerness. He skeptically took it and glanced at the booklet.
Upon seeing the writing, Yu Zheng couldn’t help but praise it. Although it was regular script, the strokes were straight, the structure was orderly, straightforward but not rigid, neat but not constrained. The writing was quite accomplished. However, he then rembered that the officials of the Hanlin Academy were remarkable talents with literary achievents, so it didn’t seem too surprising.
He skimd over his appreciation of the script and carefully examined the contents of the booklet. With just a few glances, he saw the differences. The preface was very distinct, imdiately clear upon reading.
"You have many talents at the Hanlin Academy; this preface is excellent. Regarding the Ministry of Rites section, I checked carefully, and it is divided into seventy-five volus, which is quite detailed. Very good!"
Yu Zheng was not responsible for the other governnt offices, but he was, of course, well-versed in the Ministry of Rites affairs. Even he had to admit that these prefaces were quite thorough. In his opinion, there was nothing that needed to be added.
Having worked at the Ministry of Rites for more than ten years, Yu Zheng was thoroughly familiar with the procedures. He reviewed everything and felt there were no issues with the Ministry of Rites.
"You’ve flattered , sir! So, you have no objections? If there are no additions or andnts needed, I will pass it on to the other governnt offices." Zhang Hai was naturally delighted to see Yu Zheng so satisfied. Thanks to Gu Chengyu, the Hanlin Academy had gained face.
Yu Zheng nodded, indicating there was nothing that needed to be anded or supplented. He then instructed the clerk to recopy the booklet for archiving.
Gu Chengyu was having a hard ti with the "Jia Ren Chronicles," as the accompanying materials were simply insufficient, necessitating a trip to the Wenhua Pavilion to consult the classics. He sighed helplessly; the incomplete classics only added more work.
After his lunch break, he went to Wenhua Pavilion, coincidentally finding Gan Dianji on duty today.
"Greetings, Mr. Gu! What brings you to Wenhua Pavilion today? Is there sothing I can assist you with?" Gan Dianji was quite surprised to see Gu Chengyu.
After Gu Chengyu hurriedly left the Wenhua Pavilion last ti, he had heard news of Mr. Gu being summoned by the Emperor alone.
Now, everyone at the Hanlin Academy knew that Mr. Gu was in the Emperor’s favor. Although not as esteed as those prominent officials favored by the Emperor, Mr. Gu was nonetheless personally praised by him and granted the four treasures of the study!
Moreover, Mr. Gu was young and promising. Even if he had soone powerful supporting him, one couldn’t help but curry favor with him!
"It’s quite a coincidence that Gan Dianji is on duty today! I need to proofread historical records and search for so books, so I fear I’ll have to trouble Gan Dianji." Gu Chengyu greeted Gan Dianji as well and handed over his tooth card.
Gan Dianji accepted the tooth card and duly recorded it.
"If you need anything, just let know. It’s my honor to serve you." Gan Dianji returned the tooth card respectfully to Gu Chengyu and replied with a smile.
Gu Chengyu didn’t have ti for small talk. Gan Dianji knew the layout of the Wenhua Pavilion’s books inside and out. With Gan Dianji’s help, his task would certainly be easier, and afterwards he could treat him to a little drink as thanks.
Coming again tomorrow, Gu Chengyu spent most of the day at Wenhua Pavilion, having proofread more than half of the Chronicles. Seeing only a few thin pages left, Gu Chengyu rubbed his brow. Before office hours ended today, he could finish it.
Turning a page, a few lines of text caught his attention. It was a record from the twenty-eighth year of Dayan, ntioning two sentences about the Imperial Examination ceremony that year. Gu Chengyu wasn’t concerned about the ceremony, as it was not detailed here but briefly ntioned while recording other events.
However, Gu Chengyu noticed a na: Xue Haozhen. He was the third-place scholar of the twenty-eighth year, only twenty years old at the ti, and had gained considerable fa.
Soone like Gu Chengyu, who beca the top scholar at fourteen, was rare, like a phoenix feather among mortals. That Xue Haozhen could secure third place at twenty also made him a young prodigy. He later beca legendary in the political arena, rising steadily, and by the sixteenth year of Emperor Huiming’s reign, he had beco the Chief Minister of the Cabinet, at forty years old.
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